Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-03-30
HEARING
rne Charges Against the Fish and Game
Commissioners,
..,red by General George NJ. Harmon OF
New Haven, Conn.

.,o,ock A. NJ, opened the hearing on the
,hsrces against the fish commissioners.
Ths,e was large party of gentlemen present
,,,a,e.ted iu the hearing. Among them were
-,,;eed Hon. N. d. Sperry, New Haven,
co,n Eugene Sampson. W. J. Reynolds
OK Moody of the Herald, r. A. futile
uo.,on; VIM. Henry Milliken, VIM. H.
Stevens. Portland; James Dempsy, Geo.
y Drew. Seth Chandler, Lewiston; Theo.
aors Page. proprietor of the Elmwood House,
Phillips; Sam Farmer of the Barden House,
phillips; Henry Kimball of the Mt. View
uouse. Rangeley Lakes; Capt. F. c. Barker,
,,ourie,or of Bemis Camp; Hueys, the guides
nd bostmen; Col. c. S Emerson and Hill
man Smith, Auburn.
Han. Geo C. Wing, Auburn Judge Savage,
lewiston; A. NJ. Spear, Gardiner; 4. Z.
T,mheriake, Phillips, appeared as counsel
Cor Gen. Geo NJ. Harmon of New Haven,
rho stood behind the charges. Hon. Lewis
Rarker. T. w. Vose, Esq, Bangor; P. A.
SAWYER, Phillips, were counsel for Fish
I'nmmlsSlOUeT -
g,.bee, Esq, for Commissioner Henry O.
Stanley
A. Nj. Spear, Esq, made the opening
argument for the prosecution presenting the
following specification of charges:
l. That said mmissioners have enforced the
ssb and game laws in an "uneven and partial man
thereby promoting disrespect for state author
Nv AVID fostering the very evil the laws enacted
TO suppress. 80
George NJ Harmon to be maliciousy prosecuted,
when he knew said Harmon not guilty OF the
offence charged, thereby causing him great incon.
venience expense and discomfort.
III That said commissioners have used the funds
Of the State provided for the protection and propa
cation Of fish and gam, to pay their own private
bl and otherwise Incorporating the funds of the
State. ~
W. That Commissioner Stilwel wrongfully paid
out Of the funds of the State, the expenses of Geo.
D Huntoon and himself, in defending private civil
suit against them, which in no way effected the
State or dis emnated fish and game.
v That said commissioners have been influenced
by their prejudce FIR that they have not given to
the Rangeey Lake region the attention ia protect
lny and disseminating fish that its importance as
fishing grounds and the circumstances demand.
vi. That said commissioners have not only failed
to stock the waters OF the Rang ley Lake as they
have other sections of less importance fishing
grounds, but have taken large number of spawn
from hose waers,and in some cases even sent them
outside the limits OF the state and sold them for
private purposes.
VII. That said Commissioner Stanley impr ,perly
and uuawlully attempted to influence a witness in
suit growing out of malicious prosecution by one
Of the commissioners of an alleged violation of the
fish and game laws.
Evil. That said commissioners have violated the
provisions of the fish and game laws by taking and
killing fish and game in close time.
Mr. Spear reviewed the charges at consid
cradle leng b He read from the annual re-
ports Of the commissioners for several years
past asserting that they had been so worded
as to bring disrespect upon the law. He held
that Of the 400, 900 eggs taken at Raneelev
up to 1885 three fourths of them had been
sent out of the State. He made a brief state
ment OF facts relative to the deer for the
killing of which Gen. Harmon was prose.
cuted. The General was seated on the
veraBds Of hotel on the shore of
Rangeey Lake one Sunday morning, June
10, 1884, when a deer swan out from the
shore. Entering boat with his guide, Thrash
er, he proceeded after the animal. Thrash
er struck the deer over the head with an
oar stunning him, afterwards cutting his
throat On complaint of Geo. ID. Huntoon,
Ten. Harmnn went before James W. Butter
field, Trial Justice the day following, and
was fined $40 which he paid. In August
he was again brought before this Justice
Tor Sunday shooting but was discharged. Gen.
Harmon afterwards sued Fish Commissioner
Stiliwell in Bangor tor malicious prosecution
and recovered ST. The commissioners also
brought an action against the General for il
legally transporting deer out OF the State, but
DID not push it They also sued Thrasher for
killing the deer. Later on Harmon brought
sult against the Commissioners to recover
Tue S4O paid when lie first went before But
terheld. Gen. Harmon is a a wealthy corset
manufacturer Of New Haven, and for several
years has served the republican party OF his
otate as chairman of the State committee.
once the war he has served his State AS Ad-
lutant General. He is member of the IA
nous Iuttle party who pass the summer
season of each year in the Rangely Lake
region.
Judge Wing presented the petition of 200
ci!lSens of Farmingtsu, headed by the name
OF N Beal of Phillips, asking for the re-
movai oil Commissioner Stilwell.
The point was raised by the defence that
charges reaching beyond the present term of
ONCE of the commissioners could not be pre-
scented The Governor and Council decided
Aoat they could within six years.
AFTERNOON.
large amount of documentary evidence
was presented A letter from Fish Commits
s.Oher Stanley to Theodore l.. Page of Phil
ups was read which WIS held by the counsel
ur heprosecution to be intended to influence
IDe testimony which Mr.. Page might give in
one OF the cases.
Inc reports of the fish commissioners for
we past six years; also bills of lawyers in
cue Harmon cases, aud Messrs. Stilwell and
1'anley, receipts and vouchers were intro
1uced as evidence.
zen. Harmon testified He had been COM
Ins 10 Maine for the past Is years. Was a
part owner IN cottage at the Rangeley lakes
Anu TOOK an interest in the fishing there. He
ieia'eo the circumstance of the killing of the
aser IN the lake on June 10Th, 1884.
aner the deer had been slaughtered
s.e thought came to him that the deer had
Veen Killed in close time. Accordingly he
handed $40 to Capt. Huey of a steamer on
We lake and told him to give the money to
,"srden Huntoon in payment for killing the
yer curing the close time. Also if there
"a: las ANYTHING further to send Huntoon TO
n'm' huntoon came to me, continued the
aenefal, and at his suggestion l took the
carcass OF the deer and sent it home. Hun
,pon assisting in loading the meat upon
Tue wagon. The next day I went before
~" Butterfeld and pleaded guilty to
s e.. chsrge OF killing, simply as matter OF
,pim as supposed. This l thought ended
Y ne whole matter. About the first of july
learned that Huntoon had said that l should
&c further prosecuted for violation of the
sunday law and that the fish commissioners
.~<l